Tales and Novels Volume I Part 62

_Christiern._ Oh, I cannot stay another moment: I must go home: who is it?

_Footman_. 'Tis a poor man who has brought in two carts full of my master's baggage; and my master begs you'll be so very good as to see that the things are all right, as you know 'em, and no one else here does.

_Christiern (with impatience)._ How provoking!--a full hour's work:--I sha'n't get home this night, I see that:--I wish the man and the baggage were in the Gulf of Finland. [_Exeunt._]

SCENE--_The apartment where the_ COUNT, ELEONORA, CHRISTINA, _&c., were dancing._

_Enter Mrs._ ULRICA, _eading the two children._

_Christina._ Ha! Mrs. Ulrica, and her little G.o.dson.

_Mrs. Ulrica._ My lady, I beg pardon for presuming to interrupt; but I was so proud of my little G.o.dson and his sister, though not my G.o.ddaughter, that I couldn't but bring them up, through the very midst of the company, to my master, to praise them according to their deserts; for n.o.body can praise those that deserve it so well as my master--to my fancy.

_Eleonora_ (_aside_). Nor to mine.

_Mrs. Ulrica_. Here's a purse, sir, which this little boy and girl of mine found in the woods as they were going home; and, like honest children, as they are, they came back with it directly to me, thinking that it was mine.

_Helmaar_. Shake hands, my honest little fellow--this is just what I should have expected from a G.o.dson of Mrs. Ulrica, and a son of--

_Mrs. Ulrica (aside to the Count_). Oh, Lord bless you, sir, don't tell him--My lady--(_to Christina_)--would you take the children out of hearing?

_Eleon_. (_to the children_). Come with us, my dears.

[_Exeunt ladies and children._]

_Mrs. Ulrica_. Don't, sir, pray, tell the children any thing about their father: they don't know that their father's here, though they've just seen him; and I've been striving all I can to keep the secret, and to keep the father here all night, that I may have the pleasure of seeing the meeting of father and mother and children at their own cottage to-morrow. I would not miss the sight of their meeting for fifty pounds; and yet I shall not see it after all--for Christiern will go, all I can say or do. Lord bless me! I forgot to bolt him in when I came up with the children--the bird's flown, for certain--(_going in a great hurry_).

_Helmaar_. Good Mrs. Ulrica, you need not be alarmed; your prisoner is very safe, I can a.s.sure you, though you forgot to bolt him in: I have given him an employment that will detain him a full hour, for I design to have the pleasure of restoring my deliverer myself to his family.

_Mrs. Ulrica_. Oh! that will be delightful!--Then you'll keep him here all night!--but that will vex him terribly; and of all the days and nights of the year, one wouldn't have any body vexed this day or night, more especially the man, who, as I may say, is the cause of all our illuminations, and rejoicings, and dancings--no, no, happen what will, we must not have him vexed.

_Helmaar_. He shall not be vexed, I promise you; and, if it be necessary to keep your heart from breaking, my good Mrs. Ulrica, I'll tell you a secret, which I had intended, I own, to have kept from you one half hour longer.

_Mrs. Ulrica_. A secret! dear sir, half an hour's a great while, to keep a secret from one when it's about one's friends: pray, if it be proper--but you are the best judge--I should be very glad to hear just a little hint of the matter, to prepare me.

_Helmaar_. Then prepare in a few minutes to see the happy meeting between Christiern and his family: I have sent to his cottage for his wife, to desire that she would come hither immediately.

_Mrs. Ulrica_. Oh! a thousand thanks to you, sir; but I'm afraid the messenger will let the cat out of the bag.

_Helmaar_. The man I have sent can keep a secret--Which way did the Lady Eleonora go?--Are those peasants in the hall? [_Exit Count._]

_Mrs. Ulrica_ (_following_). She went towards the west drawing-room, I think, sir.--Yes, sir, the peasants are at supper in the hall. (_Aside_) Bless me! I wonder what messenger he sent, for I don't know many--men I mean--fit to be trusted with a secret. [_Exit_.]

SCENE--_An apartment in Count_ HELMAAR'S _Castle_.--ELEONORA.--CHRISTINA.--_Little_ KATE _and_ ULRIC _asleep on the floor_.

_Eleon_. Poor creatures! they were quite tired by sitting up so late: is their mother come yet?

_Christina._ Not yet; but she will soon be here, for my brother told Aleftson to make all possible haste. Do you know where my brother is?--he is not among the dancers. I expected to have found him sighing at the Lady Eleonora's feet.

_Eleon_. He is much better employed than in sighing at any body's feet; he is gone down into the great hall, to see and reward some poor peasants who have brought home the knapsacks of those unfortunate soldiers who fell in the last battle:--your good Mrs. Ulrica found out that these peasants were in the village near us--she sent for them, got a plentiful supper ready, and the count is now speaking to them.

_Christina_. And can you forgive my ungallant brother for thinking of vulgar boors, when he ought to be intent on nothing but your bright eyes?--then all I can say is, you are both of you just fit for one another: every _fool_, indeed, saw that long ago.

[_A cry behind the scenes of "Long line Count Helmaar! Long live the good count! long live the poor man's friend!_"]

_Christina (joins the cry_). Long live Count Helmaar!--join me, Eleonora--long live the good count! long live the poor man's friend!

[_The little children waken, start up, and stretch themselves_.]

_Eleon_. There, you have wakened these poor children.

_Ulric_. What's the matter? I dreamed father was shaking hands with me.

_Enter Mrs_. ULRICA.

_Little Kate_. Mrs. Ulrica! where am I? I thought I was in my little bed at home--I was dreaming about a purse, I believe.

_Mrs. Ulrica_. Was it about this purse you were dreaming?--(_shows the purse which the children found in the wood_)--Come, take it into your little hands, and waken and rouse yourselves, for you must come and give this purse back to the rightful owner; I've found him out for you--(_Aside to Christina and Eleonora_). And now, ladies, if you please to go up into the gallery, you'll see something worth looking at.

[_Exeunt_.]

SCENE--_A hall in Count_ HELMAAR'S _Castle.--Peasants rising from supper in the back scene_.

_1st Peasant_. Here's a health to the poor man's friend; and may every poor man, every poor honest man--and there are none other in Sweden--find as good a friend as Count Helmaar.

_Enter_ CHARLES, _eagerly_.

_Charles_. Count Helmaar! is he here?

_Omnes_. Heyday! Charles, the sleeper, broad awake! or is he walking in his sleep?

_Charles_. Where's Count Helmaar, I say?--I'd walk in my sleep, or any way, to get a sight of him.

_1st Peasant_. Hus.h.!.+ stand back!--here's some of the quality coming, who are not thinking of you.

[_The peasants all retire to the back scene. Count_ HELMAAR, CHRISTINA, _and_ ELEONORA, _appear, looking from a gallery. Enter_ ALEFTSON _and_ CATHERINE _at one door, Mrs._ ULRICA _at the opposite door, with_ CHRISTIERN, _followed by the two children._]

_Cath._ (_springs forward_.) Christiern! my husband! alive!--is it a dream?

_Christiern_ (_embracing her_). Your own Christiern, dearest Catherine.

[_The children clap their hands, and run to their father._]

_Ulric._ Why, I thought he was my father; only he did not shake hands with me.

_Kate._ And Mrs. Ulrica hid me hold my tongue.

_Christiern._ My Ulric! my little Kate!